A military rocket motor generally includes a rocket nozzle having a longitudinal nozzle opening through which hot gases are copiously discharged at an extremely high velocity when the propellant charge in the rocket motor is ignited. The propellant charge may be ignited by an igniter mounted at either end of the propellant charge or in the entrance end of the nozzle opening. The igniter contains a small pyrotechnic charge capable of igniting the larger propellant charge.
Generally, an electrical initiator is employed to initiate combustion of the charge in the igniter. The initiator is triggered by an electrical current or signal from a selectively operable source associated with the rocket launcher into which the rocket is loaded.